eMusic Wire - YOLANDA RABUN Takes on NC Icon with New Album Scheduled to Release on Raleigh Premiere of One-Woman Show

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No Fear, a Nina Simone-inspired tribute from Rabun releases September 6. No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone opens in the Fletcher Theatre on September 6 with a limited run to September 8.

RALEIGH, N.C. - eMusicWire -- September 6th marks the day North Carolina Contemporary Jazz recording artist, singer, writer, and producer Yolanda Rabun launches her energy and emotion-filled Nina Simone-inspired album, NO FEAR. The timing is intentional.

The engaging musical presentation of straight-ahead Jazz, Blues, Folk, Pop, and Gospel on the 12-track NO FEAR album is on the heels of Rabun's September 6th theatrical play opening, No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone by award-winning playwright, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and arts educator, Howard L. Craft and directed by Kathryn Hunter-Williams.

Fans cried for this long-awaited recorded tribute from Rabun to Simone after No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone debuted in Chapel Hill in 2019 to sold-out audiences. "We would end a show with standing ovations and endless requests for where to get our interpretation of the music performed," said Rabun. "Between our tours throughout North Carolina, including Nina Simone's hometown, Tryon, and shows in Virginia, we recorded samplings of Nina Simone classics and Nina hidden gems." Executive Produced by Rabun, the NO FEAR album is inspired by Craft's play but includes songs not heard or sung in the play.

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Joining Yolanda on stage for No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone and the new album, NO FEAR, recorded in Durham, North Carolina's BreakAlive Studios, are three superb NC musicians, Brevan Hampden, Russell Favret, and Christian Sharp. Rabun fans get an extra treat with the release of the NO FEAR album that also features acclaimed North Carolina music staples, Dr. Brenda Hampden and Chuckey Robinson on keys, as well as acclaimed percussionist and Djembe master Atiba Rorie for select tracks. Jeremy Bean Clemons is the senior engineer.

Celebrate the Raleigh opening of the limited 3-day play, No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone, in The Fletcher Opera Theatre at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East South Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2019, Indy Week declared Nina Simone is remarkably portrayed and sung by Yolanda Rabun with a commanding performance in Craft's play. The 90-minute non-stop one-woman show mixes biography with informed speculation about how Simone would respond to our social and cultural environment today. It's interactive. It's thought-provoking and bespoke to each audience.

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Show Tix: Ticketmaster. You can pre-save/pre-order NO FEAR on digital services world-wide with access to bonus track, Young Gifted and Black, on August 30th.

Yolanda Rabun is available for interviews.